Wine.com Quick Facts

Region: Central Coast, California

Varietal: Chardonnay

Item no. 91721

Winemaker's Notes:

The 2006, like the '05, is a truly alternative style of California white wine. The wine has not been compromised in quality at any step in its production. Low yielding, high quality vineyards (Bien Nacido, Rancho Vinedo, and Los Alamos) are hand-pruned, leaf thinned by hand, sustainably farmed, and hand picked.

The grapes are whole cluster pressed, unsettled (a Burgundian tradition, like the weather), straight to Francois Freres small barrel for primary fermentation and malo-lactic, topped once a week by hand, sur lie, and bottled after a careful fining and no filtration. All of the French wood is neutral.

This wine is fruit driven, lees enhanced, texturally sophisticated, balanced, bright, complex, and concentrated from yields under 3 ton per acre. Remember when Chardonnay had stone fruit (not tropical), firm acidity, brightness, earthiness, minerality, and no vestige of heaviness? Au Bon Climat certainly does! Here is your alternative. Chardonnay is not an aromatic variety, it needs wood and lees, but can be vinified in an elegant, fresh, and food friendly fashion.

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Learn More About the Winery

Au Bon Climat was created to produce high quality handcrafted wine from the traditional Burgundian varietals. They are one of the few California wineries to explore the gamut of these varieties: Aligote, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The winery is located within the Bien Nacido Vineyard, the source of the majority of their fruit.

Learn More About Chardonnay

Chardonnay(shar-dawn-AY)White Wine's Queen Bee
Like Cabernet
Sauvignon, Chardonnay can grow just about anywhere. It adapts well to different
soils and different climates. While frequently paired with
California,
its native home lies in the vineyards of Burgundy,
France. The only major white grape of the region, Chardonnay is at its best on the rolling
slopes in Bourgogne. Other popular Chardonnay sites include California (just
about everywhere), Oregon,
Washington,
Other US, Australia,
South
Africa, South
America and New
Zealand.

Notable facts
Chardonnay varies greatly with climate, soil and winemaking - but it adapts
just about anywhere, which is what makes it so popular. Cooler climates like
New Zealand and Chablis lead to crisp, acid-prone wines, while warmer climates
like Southern California and Australia foster riper grapes that create heavier
wine leaning towards tropical fruit flavors. So specific are the soils of Burgundy,
the wines of the region show subtle notes of mineral and chalk that belie their
origin. Chardonnay adapts itself to oak very well, as one may taste in many
of the wines.

Learn More About Central Coast, California

The largest of California's wine growing regions, the Central Coast produces the majority of California's wine. The district sprawls out, covering most of the vineyard land between San Francisco and Santa Barbara. Smaller sub-AVAs of the Central Coast include Monterey Bay, Paso Robles, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains and many others.

Notable Facts

Grape varieties range from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. Some Central Coast wine is generic, bulk wine that contributes to the high production numbers of the area. But many winemakers and wineries, particular in some of the smaller AVAs, are small production artisans, creating unique and high-quality wine. The great thing about the Central Coast is its diversity - you're able to find a number of grape varieties and styles at a number of different price points.